The Vanishings - Birds of Prey
by LionblazeFoxleap
Summary: it has been countless seasons since Firestar joined StarClan, and countable, but many, seasons since The Second Journey. The clans have been at peace (well, as peaceful as it gets). But there is a new prophecy. Will birds really become predators? Will cats really be taken as prey? Rated T just in case.
1. Allegiances

_Allegiances_

**THUNDERCLAN**

**Leader: **Bubblestar - Dark grey tom with big blue eyes.

**Deputy: **Oakleaf – Very dark brown tom with brown eyes.

**Medicine Cat: **Berryleaf - Dark brown small she-cat with blue eyes.

**Warriors:**

Lionclaw – Young golden tom, with kind brown eyes.

Cloudpelt – Fluffy white tom with blue eyes. (Apprentice – Bramblepaw)

Nightfang – Large pure black tom.

Jaystone – Brown tabby tom with amber eyes. (Apprentice – Sparkpaw)

Ravenwing – Young black and white tom with green eyes.

Graystorm – Dark grey tom with blue eyes.

Dawnflower – Grey she-cat with blue eyes. (Apprentice - Cinderpaw)

Icefire – Pure white tom with fiery amber eyes.

Dustyfur – Brownish tom with kind brown eyes.

Scruffypelt – Black she-cat with very messy fur and green eyes.

Sandstone – Pale ginger she-cat

Maplefeather – White she-cat with patches of ginger

Foxcatcher – Red tom with white paws, belly, tail-tip.

Firewind – Bright ginger tom with a white belly.

**Queens:**

Bluefrost – Young silver-blue tabby she-cat (nursing Lionkit, Moonkit and Swiftkit)

Cloudsky – Fluffy white she-cat with bright green eyes (expecting Jaystone's kits)

Snowfur – White and grey she-cat (expecting Stormstar's kits)

**Apprentices:**

Sparkpaw – Golden she-cat with green eyes.

Bramblepaw – Dark brown tabby with bright green eyes.

Cinderpaw – Grey she-cat with blue eyes.

Ashpaw – Dark grey tom with black flecks.

**Elders:**

Raindrop – Grey she-cat with twinkling blue eyes.

Twistedtail – Brown tom with a bent tail.

**RiverClan**

**Leader: **Stormstar – Dark brown tabby tom.

**Deputy: **Pebblestone – Grey tom with cold grey eyes.

**Medicine Cat: **Willowpool – Brown and grey she-cat.

**Warriors:**

Cloudyfoot – Grey she-cat with one white foot.

Mistlily – Small grey she-cat. (Apprentice – Smallpaw)

Iceshine – Pure white she-cat.

Ripplewing – Dark brown tabby tom. (Apprentice – Littlepaw)

Splashfur – Black tom with white splashes.

Bluesky – Small blue she-cat.

Crowpelt – Black tom with yellow eyes. (Apprentice – Birdpaw)

Shadowlight – Dark grey and black tom, with one white paw.

**Apprentices:**

Smallpaw – Small brown tabby tom.

Littlepaw – Small darker brown tabby she-cat.

Birdpaw – Blue-ish she-cat with yellow eyes.

**Queens:**

Riverstream – Grey and white she-cat with bright blue eyes (nursing Petalkit and Flowerkit)

**Elders:**

Cloudyeyes – White she-cat with blind grey eyes.

**SHADOWCLAN:**

**Leader: **Brightstar – Black she-cat with silver paws.

**Deputy: **Ashmoon – Dark grey tom.

**Medicine Cat: **Foxpool – Red-brown tom with yellow eyes.

**Warriors: **

Lightsky – Cream she-cat with white paws.

Tigerlily – Dark brown she-cat with black tabby stripes. (Apprentice – Mistypaw)

Blackfall – Pure black tom with a white paw. (Apprentice – Stonepaw)

Nightpelt – Black tom with three white paws. (Apprentice – Stormpaw)

Thrushwing – Dark brown tom with green eyes. (Apprentice – Featherpaw)

Frostfall – White and silver she-cat with blue eyes.

Fernfoot – Grey she-cat with green eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Featherpaw – Beautiful silver she-cat.

Stormpaw – Dark grey long-haired tom.

Mistypaw – Blue-grey she cat with blue eyes.

Stonepaw – Sleek furred dark grey tom.

**Queens:**

Pinkspot – Black and white she-cat with a pink nose. (nursing Whitekit, Blackkit, Greykit.)

Daisyfur – Fluffy cream she-cat. (Expecting Ashmoon's kits)

**WINDCLAN**

**Leader: **Heatherstar – Light brown she-cat.

**Deputy: **Runningstorm – Dark grey tom.

**Medicine Cat: **Bluelight – Blue-grey she-cat with white paws. (Apprentice – Treepaw)

**Warriors: **

Greystorm – Dark grey tom with blue eyes.

Rushpelt – Ginger tom with gleaming blue yes.

Breezefoot – White she-cat with one grey paw.

Windfur – Fluffy grey she-cat.

Whitefrost – White tom with blue eyes.

Patchfur – Black and white tom.

Silvertail – Silver tabby she-cat.

**Apprentices:**

Treepaw – Brown she-cat.

Softpaw – White she-cat.

Rabbitpaw – Dark brown tom.

**Queens:**

Lilystream – Cream she-cat. (expecting Runningstorm's kits)

**Elders:**

Brokenfoot – Brown tom with a twisted paw.

Stumpytail – Cream tom with only half a tail due to a fox-trap accident.

**CATS OUTSIDE CLANS:**

Fern – Fluffy white she-cat.

Lily – Black she-cat with white paws.

Rose – White she-cat with black paws.

Tyger – Ginger tabby tom with darker stipes.

NOTES ABOUT ALLEGIANCES:

- Lionclaw, because Lionblaze is my very favouritest cat (Heatherstar too! But I don't like her. But anyways).

- Firewind in memory of Firestar, Snadstone in memory of Sandstorm, Foxcatcher because Foxleap is awesome.

- Smallpaw and Littlepaw are littlermates, they were born early, and have forever been small because of being never fully produced.

- Willowpool is named after Graypool and Willowbreeze, and Stormstar after Crookedstar (have you read "Crookedstar's Promise"?)

- About the ShadowClan apprentices; Featherpaw will be very important to the story, and it didn't seem fair to put Feathertail in without Stormfur. And I just added Mistyfoot and Stonefur because I like them.

- ShadowClan don't have any elders.

- Tyger is meant to be spelled like that.


	2. Prologue

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The silver tabby padded into the clearing, as quiet as a mouse. She sat down, among the group of other cats; the ancestors of the clans. Today, only the former leaders and medicine cats were here; Redstar and Gingertail of WindClan, Fangstar and Yellowberry of ShadowClan and Streamstar and Frostedgaze of RiverClan. The silver tabby herself was Silverstar of ThunderClan. She slowly walked over to her former medicine cat; Creamfur.

'What is the news?' She asked. The other cats looked at each other, and Creamfur stepped forward.

'I have a prophecy; About all of the clans.' She mewed.

'What is it?' Silverstar asked calmly.

'This is a terrible prophecy.' Creamfur gulped. 'Here is the prophecy.'

'_The birds will fly until they are seen no more, and they will take cats with them. Then they will return, and take more prey.' _Creamfur finished.

'Birds have never taken cats as prey though!' Silverstar exclaimed, 'Birds are OUR prey!' Creamfur shrugged, and the other cats in the clearing glanced at one and other, confused. Silverstar looked at Creamfur.

'You are a good medicine cat. I trust you, and I believe you. We must be ready.' She murmured.

'I shall tell Berryleaf.' Creamfur mewed. As the other cats padded away, Creamfur sat, and beckoned the ThunderClan medicine cat into StarClan in her dreams. Creamfur watched as a sleeping brown she-cat slowly appeared. The cat lifted her head. When she saw Creamfur, she sat up immediately.

'Creamfur!' She mewed happily.

'Hello, dear apprentice.' Creamfur meowed, 'I have news.' Berryleaf listened carefully as Creamfur retold the prophecy.

'Can they be stopped?' She asked afterwards.

'We don't know.' Creamfur told her. Then she padded away, and Berryleaf was left to wake in her nest.

t here...


	3. Chapter 1 - The Kits

'Watch this, Bluefrost!' Lionkit squeaked with excitement.

'Not now, Lionkit. Once Swiftkit has opened his eyes.' Bluefrost, Lionkit's mother, meowed.

'Come on, Swiftkit!' Came another voice, from Moonkit. 'Bluefrost won't let us go outside the nursery until you've opened your eyes!'

'Hush, Moonkit. He'll open them in his own time.' Bluefrost meowed.

_Yes, _Swiftkit thought, _in my own time. _Then he snuggled closer to Bluefrost and fell asleep.

'Swiftkit! Open your eyes! Nightfang's come to see us!' Moonkit squeaked.

_Nightfang! _Swiftkit thought, _He's my father! _With a massive effort, he wrenched his eyes open. Bright light hit him, and he had to blink lots of times before it stopped hurting his eyes.

'Swiftkit!' Lionkit exclaimed, 'You're awake!'

'He can be awake with his eyes closed.' Bluefrost mewed. Lionkit nodded seriously, as if he was an apprentice being taught by his mentor.

'Can he talk?' Moonkit asked. Lionkit rolled his eyes.

'It's not as if he's younger than us, Moonkit! He just had his eyes closed for longer. He opened his mouth the second he was born. Which was before you and me.' He added thoughtfully.

'So, are we going outside?' Swiftkit asked, surprised at how he could easily talk. Moonkit and Lionkit nodded vigorously, and looked pleadingly at Bluefrost. Bluefrost looked uncertain.

'I don't know.. . You're still young, you might get hurt…' She mumbled.

'I'm not young!' Lionkit exclaimed, puffing out his chest and standing as high as he could.

'What, are we going to get buried under fresh-kill? We aren't allowed out of camp, stop worrying.' Swiftkit told his mother.

'You promised!' Moonkit whined.

'She's right.' Swiftkit looked past Bluefrost to see the other queen, who was going to have kits soon, Cloudsky, the pure white she-cat. 'Oh, and in the excitement of Swiftpaw's eyes opening, you forgot Nightfang was coming back from the border patrol to see his kits for the first time since their birth.' Bluefrost gasped.

'Kit's come here, I need to clean you!' Reluctantly, the kits let their mother's tail draw them closer to her so she could lick their fur flat. Swiftkit wasn't completely used to moving around, so he was left behind as Lionkit and Moonkit struggled out of Bluefrost's grip. A golden head belonging to a tom warrior suddenly popped into the nursery. Swiftkit racked his brain and tried to remember his mother telling him anything about a golden warrior, but he could only remember one; Sparkpaw. But Sparkpaw was younger than this warrior, and a she-cat, not a tom. And she had green eyes; this tom had brown.

'Hi Bluefrost!' He spoke friendlier than other warriors to Bluefrost. Of course, the other warriors were very friendly. But this tom spoke fondly, as if he knew he better than any other cat. Who was he? 'The patrol is back, Nightfang is DYING to see his kits!' Swiftkit gasped.

'Nightfangs dying?!' Moonkit asked, astonished.

'I never even got to see him!' Lionkit wailed. The golden tom laughed and trotted off.

'He thinks it's funny!' Swiftkit mewed, 'Who IS he?'

'He's my brother Lionclaw, you're named after him, Lionkit, and he's laughing because Nightfang isn't actually dying, it's just a figure of speech.' Bluefrost mewed hurriedly, 'Moonkit, don't twist your head trying to see him, just LOOK at your neck fur!' She added, running over to lick it straight again.

'Bluefrost? Kits?' Came a voice. Nightfang! Bluefrost gave her kits one last frantic lick, then pushed them outside the nursery for the first time. Swiftkit saw lots of brambles and sticks and other things stacked up to make dens for the cats. He could see the nursery behind him, and across the camp clearing, a much larger den was next to a slightly smaller one. To his left, he could see a very large rock, with cracks and dents. Swiftkit suspected that was the Highrock Bluefrost told him and his littermates about the day they were born. Next to it was a den even smaller than the nursery. Not too far away was another den, about the size of the nursery, with a lot of strange scents seeping through and into Swiftkit's nose. Swiftkit looked to his right, and saw two large cats, one golden, Lionclaw, and the other pure black. _Nightfang!_ Behind them was a tunnel of brambles, the entrance. Nightfang padded over, and looked at the kits in turn. He was so big and strong and handsome. Swiftkit wondered if he looked like his father. And his eyes were a magnificent green, gazing down at the kits. Swiftkit hoped he had them, too.

'You have my eyes. You look very strong and handsome.' Nightfang mewed flatly to Lionkit. 'You'll be a good warrior and you'll have a good life.' Lionkit once again puffed out his chest. He turned to Moonkit.

'You look like your mother. A good queen, but not much of a warrior.' Swiftkit saw Bluefrost narrow her eyes, and Moonkit stretched upwards.

'She's a great warrior, and I will be too!' She mewed defiantly. She sounded almost angry. Nightfang nodded, and turned to Swiftkit. He starred for ages.

'I see no talent, but perhaps there is some warrior spirit there somewhere.' He mewed after a while, 'I hope your mentor teaches you well.' Then he walked off, and disappeared inside the largest den. _My father wants my mentor to teach me well! He thinks I can become a great warrior! _Swiftkit though proudly. Moonkit stared after he father, a look of fury on her face. _Was it because she wanted him to tell her she would be a good warrior too? _Swiftkit wondered.

'Let's go back to the nursery, kits.' Bluefrost mewed. Lionkit shook his head.

'We want to explore the camp!' He mewed. Bluefrost looked at him, then sighed. With a flick of her tail, she vanished into the nursery. At once the kits set off, Lionkit in front, Swiftkit on his right, a tail-length behind, and Moonkit on the left, slightly further back.

'Can we go in there?' Lionkit asked, angling his ears towards the biggest den.

'Why would we want to go in there?' Moonkit sniffed, 'HE'S in there!' Lionkit looked at her, confused.

'I don't know who He is, but Moonkit, that's where Nightfang sleeps! It must be the warriors den!' He told her.

'I don't want to ever go in there! I don't want to become like Nightfang! He's so… mean! And arrogant!' She exclaimed. Lionkit looked at her questioningly.

'He probably seems like a hero to YOU, Lionkit, but didn't you hear him call our mother a bad warrior? And he said Swiftkit had no talent!' She mewed. Swiftkit looked at her. He didn't really understand what she was trying to tell him.

'Never mind.' Moonkit muttered. Lionkit and Swiftkit exchanged a glance. Lionkit shrugged, then headed off to the warriors den. The paused at the entrance. Then Swiftkit raised one paw, and stepped inside.

'Hello?' He called. A sudden roar made him fall backwards, terrified. He sped out of the den as fast as he could.

'There's a monster in there!' He wailed.

'I'm coming to eat you, little kits!' Came a deep voice. Moonkit and Lionkit squeaked loudly and ran behind their brother. Lionkit slowly emerged.

'I'm not scared of you!' He mewed bravely. The roar came again, but Lionkit held his ground. Suddenly a massive figure appeared. It grew bigger as it approached the kits. Moonkit started laughing.

'Lionclaw!' She mewed happily. Swiftkit slowly recognised the large warrior and joined in Moonkits laughing. Lionkit just stood there with his eyes narrowed.

'WindClan warrior!' He screeched, 'Attack!' He ran at Lionclaw as fast as his tiny legs could carry him, and launched a massive leap onto his tail. He sunk his claws in, but he was so young it didn't hurt that much. However, Lionclaw fell to the ground with a thump, yowling in mock agony.

'Never steal our prey again!' Lionkit roared. Swiftkit and Moonkit padded up beside him.

'Promise to keep on your side of the border!' Moonkit mewed.

'Or we'll shred you!' Swiftkit added.

'I promise.' Lionclaw mewed feebly.

'Kits, it's getting dark! Come inside now!' Bluefrost's mew sounded around the clearing. Swiftkit and Moonkit bounded back to the nursery.

'I'm named after you!' Lionkit mewed proudly to Lionclaw, before following his littermates. At the entrance, he turned to see a grey she-cat walking up to Lionclaw.

'You'll make a wonderful father.' She mewed.

'And you a great mother, Dawnflower.' He replied. Then the two walked back to the den.


	4. Chapter 2

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'Tell us the story of the Next Journey!' Moonkit squeaked to Raindrop. The grey elder looked at her fondly.

'Ok.' She mewed, 'But I'll tell you why it's called the Next Journey… Though it's a long story, and kits can never sit still...'

'Raindrop, we're three moons old, we can sit still!' Swiftkit mewed. Raindrop nodded.

'Many, many seasons ago, there was a great leader, Firestar of ThunderClan. The leader before him invited him to the clan, even though he was a kittypet! Firestar was Firepaw, Fireheart and eventually Firestar. His enemy, Tigerstar, was dead, and Tigerstar's son Brambleclaw, and daughter, Tawnypelt had not inherited his evilness and ambition, and became great warriors. Firestar had two daughters, Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw, and a mate, Sandstorm. Life was good. But Twolegs came, tearing apart the forest. Brambleclaw had a dream, about a place where the sun drowns in endless salty water. So did three other cats from the other clans, Feathertail, Tawnypelt and Crowpaw. Those four, accompanied by Squirrelpaw and Feathertail's brother Stormfur, set out on a quest to find the sun-drown place. They did, and there was a badger there.' Raindrop meowed.

'A badger!' Moonkit exclaimed. Twistedtail, the brown elder, padded over, and nodded. He continued the story.

'The badger was called Midnight, and told them to leave the forest, and travel to a place called The Lake, which is very much like this place, The New Lake. They lived there for seasons upon seasons. There was a great battle, and Bramblestar became leader and I think…' He looked at the sky trying to remember something. 'Lionstar after him. But when I was just a small kit, Twistedkit, Twolegs came to The Lake, destroying it. A warrior named Hopeheart had a dream about the mountains. So a group of cats, one from each clan, travelled there. The mountain cats, The Tribe of Rushing Water, told them of a place with a big lake and no Twolegs. I made the journey with my mother, and sisters. Thunderkit died on the journey, and Lightningstrike died last season.' He meowed sadly. Raindrop took over.

'I was born during the journey. I had two sisters and a brother, who all died within a sunrise after birth. It was raining that day, so that's how I got my name. After traveling a long way, we made it to The New Lake. It took a while to get settled in, and after quite a few moons, Twistedtail and I got our warrior names. Then we had our amazing kit, Stormstar.' She finished. The elders smiled happily.

'Now run along kits, the hunting patrol just got back.' Twistedtail mewed. Swiftkit and Lionkit rushed out of the den and straight to the fresh-kill pile, while Moonkit thanked the elders, then followed them slowly.

'Swiftkit, let's have this squirrel!' Lionkit mewed happily.

'No!' Swiftkit meowed, 'This vole looks much better!' He looked at the pile and saw a wing sticking out.

'Is that a thrush?' Lionkit asked. He jumped into the pile, digging in as far as he could go. He suddenly jumped out. 'Just a sparrow, but I think there's a rabbit in there!' Moonkit watched her brothers dive back into the pile, sending fresh-kill all over the camp.

'What's happening here?' Moonkit turned to her right and saw Bluefrost padding up to her, 'Lionkit, Swiftkit stop.' The two kits immediately jumped out, and shook their fur.

'Sorry, Bluefrost.' Swiftkit mewed. Lionkit hung his head.

'Go back to the nursery! You will have no fresh-kill tonight!' Bluefrost mewed angrily. The two kits padded off to the den, their tails dragging along the ground.

'Of course. That useless Swiftkit and plain annoying Lionkit have spoilt our meal. I'm not surprised.' Moonkit looked round to see Nightfang standing with his patrol, Foxcatcher, Firewind, Sandstone and Ashpaw.

'Don't speak about my kits like that!' Bluefrost snarled. Nightfang just shrugged.

'They're my kits too. I'm just surprised she wasn't part of the prey-spoiling.' He stared at Moonkit, then padded off quickly to the warriors den. Foxcatcher, Firewind and Sandstone awkwardly followed him, while Ashpaw walked over to Moonkit.

'Don't listen to him.' He mewed, 'He lost a squirrel and got stuck in a bramble.' He licked her on the head, then ran over to the apprentices den. Moonkit sighed. It seemed like her father lost squirrels and got stuck in brambles every day. Why couldn't he be proud of his kits just once?

'Come on, Moonkit.' Bluefrost mewed, 'Let's go inside.' Moonkit followed her mother into the nursery, but her thoughts were still on Nightfang.

Moonkit woke up suddenly. She looked to her left, but the spot her mother usually slept in was empty. Moonkit heard the soft snoring of her brothers, and knew she was the only one awake. She quietly padded out of the den, and into the clearing. She stopped walking as soon as she heard her mother's voice, coming from the warriors den.

'Follow me.' She was saying, 'We need to talk.' Moonkit hid behind the nursery, and poked her head out to see Bluefrost emerging, with Nightfang behind her. They walked to the middle of the clearing, where Bluefrost sat down.

'Nightfang. There's something I need to tell you.' She mewed. Nightfang didn't move. Bluefrost swallowed. 'Lionkit, Swiftkit and Moonkit are not your kits.'

ent here...


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